The Destroyer
by Aviantei
Summary: [One Shot Collection] It isn't until his reputation starts to stick that the layers begin to form. A look at the many perspectives on the Demon King and his closest generals. [Twelve Shots of Summer: Second Raid]
1. The Destroyer

**The Destroyer**

By: Aviantei

A _The Devil is a Part-Timer!_ One Shot

[Twelve Shots of Summer Second Raid 3/12]

* * *

I.

* * *

He is born as an ordinary boy, a demon, but otherwise untouched by expectation. He is a child with parents, and he lives that way, untainted for years.

As he grows, he learns what it means to be a demon, the sort of things that are expected. Ever the hard-worker, he does his best, pushing forward.

It isn't until his reputation starts to stick that the layers begin to form.

He works for conquest. Bit by bit, he takes over demon territory. The layers form as specks—a recognition there, the understanding of his power there. He grows, and his reputation grows with him: the boy trying to become the Devil.

Somehow, he ends up with followers. They think he's strong enough, so they stick at his back, make his conquests easier. Several of them are older than him, teach him new tricks or just watch to see what he'll do.

Fleck by fleck, the title of _leader_ sticks to him.

Alciel is the first future general to join his side. A tactician, incredibly powerful, but completely willing to serve. He puts the boy—becoming grown, becoming closer to a man—on a pedestal, the first to call him _Demonic Highness_.

And the up and coming demon thinks he likes the sound of that.

Their conquests become greater. Soon, half of the demonic kingdoms are under his control. Opposing demons jockeying for control send their armies, attempt to do battle, but the demon that was once a boy can see the fear in their eyes when they come to face with him.

More and more layers attached to him. A reputation just slightly out of proportion with the reality. And what they're seeing is that, and not exactly him.

The other generals join in time, Adramalech and Maracoda, and then, as the conquest of the demon realms comes to a close, Lucifer. It isn't long before the title of Devil is his, a young man by demonic standards, now standing at the top.

The Devil. _Maou-sama._

He doesn't realize it, but the layers are plastered to him, thick enough that it's a wonder he can even move.

* * *

II.

* * *

Ente Isla is the next target, a land of humans. Focusing on the central capital, the Devil's army easily overtakes the castle, forms it into their base of operations. The generals split into separate forces, taking on the remaining resisting lands.

He's hit with the reputation of invader, of demon, of monster. More and more humans fear the demon king, treat the sins of his army as his own. Sticking harder than ever before, the layers continue to build up.

Humans are killed—another layer.

Territories are taken over—another layer.

Lucifer sets fire to the eastern continent—the layer is shared, but some of it still sticks, is caked on to the Devil.

Churches are collapsed—layer.

Prisoners are taken then executed as examples— _layer_.

The Hero rises in opposition—

—and the Devil turns his forces against her, attaching himself to the role known as evil.

* * *

III.

* * *

They stick to his skin, the ideas, the reputations. They take up more space than the lands he's conquered. Just layers and layers, expanding out, distant, blinding, inflexible, covering everything about him. It's a fact of living, but it's a deep burial, a suffocating presence glued onto his skin, completely adhering to his shape.

Except when he leaves Ente Isla, when he comes to Japan, his body human, that of a boy, only several times more weak.

He's smaller, and there's space between him and those layers, there's room to breathe.

It's not permanent. New layers tack on. Alciel, forever following his Demonic Highness. The Hero, carrying her past grudge even into this new world. The approving attitude of Kiseki, the absolute adoration from Chi-chan.

And as he walks away from the old caked on layers—behind, but not forgotten—he finds the new ones surrounding him to be a lot more comfortable.

* * *

Gah, I just loved _Devil is a Part Timer!_

Anyway, this was written for the [Twelve Shots of Summer: Second Raid] challenge, a fun little thing where we write twelve prompted one shots over twelve weeks. Week three's prompt was "And Then There Will Be Cake," which I decided to take, well... _Cake_ can also be used as a verb (like _caking on_ ), which usually refers to layers, and... Well, you can see where I was trying to go with this (I hope).

For more literal takes on this prompt you can check out the Twelve Shots of Summer C2 or forums (the latter I have a link to on my profile), and find some great one shots to read by a group of super awesome writers. And if you feel interested, you could join us for the summer, too! Everyone is wonderful and supportive, so you'll get some good feedback, too!

Putting the advertisements aside, I really like touching on the "before" era to canon, the eras of demonhood and Ente Isla. I get it doesn't really fit into the tone of canon too well all the time, but there's a lot of stuff that really influences Maou, Alciel, and Lucifer, so I like thinking about it. One day, I'd really like to write some longer fics on the subject.

To be honest I considered writing about Alciel and Lucifer in this piece, too, but the flow worked better centering on Maou, so... I'll probably do a couple of companion pieces later on.

On a side note, Right Stuf is having a Yen Press sale for the next week, which is good chance to pick up some _Devil is a Part Timer!_ books. Hm, know what I'll be doing once I finish up my move...

Thanks for reading!

[POST] 061915

[EDIT] 082415


	2. The Tactician

**The Tactician**

By: Aviantei

A _The Devil is a Part-Timer!_ One Shot

* * *

I.

* * *

His own layers have existed for far longer, have encompassed far much more space. Before the rise of the newest insurgents, he has lead armies, conquered others. He is a tactician, and his strategies have long since raked through the demon realms. It's when he faces defeat that the most significant layer is added.

The expectation that comes with leading an army under the rule of the boy that wishes to become the Devil King.

It seems like a joke, but he accepts. It's a plenty gracious offer to be taken in by someone who's defeated you. There aren't many who give mercy like this amongst demons. But he knows, it's less mercy, and more strategy.

So he takes his good fortune, accepts the new layer, considers it to be a trifle. It's only going to be one of many layers that he'll experience, given he lives long enough for it. There's always some upstart or another trying to take over the demon realms, and it's not his first time participating in such a campaign. It's only a matter of time before this venture is washed away with the others, drained away into the past.

Except this one doesn't. The campaigns succeed, and, in most cases, his layers precede him. People recognize the name Alciel, and it garners a sort of respect in their ranks. This is nothing new. The surprise comes when he's recognized for his current feats, not his past reputations, the newest layers adding a slightly different sheen. The respect for his efforts, the praise of his new lord.

There's more work to be done this time, it seems.

* * *

II.

* * *

Ente Isla is interesting, because his layers don't hold as much weight there. There is only the fear of not understanding, the terror of _demons_ , and in many ways that makes his job easier. But there's still the satisfaction of when the newest layers start to form.

He tries not to think too hard on it—not when the corners of the continent still need to be properly conquered. Not when his attention is needed elsewhere. But they come in bits and pieces.

The Demon General that helped take over the capital.

The head of the Devil's army.

 _His Demonic Highness's most trusted advisor._

And perhaps he shouldn't, but he still takes pride in those layers, just for the moment.

* * *

III.

* * *

Earth doesn't allow for that pride. The battlefield has changed from bloodshed to housecleaning. There is no knowledge of the Devil King's army, no ability to take over this new realm with magic. The Devil King himself doesn't seem too bothered by the transition, and his general is left to follow in his wake.

There isn't as much space between him and his layers as it would seem. Even as he wastes weeks in libraries, researching magic and legends and a way back home, afternoons tending to the apartment, washing and dusting and cleaning, their weight is still there. They remind him of who he used to be, of what he's done, of what else there is left to do. While he may seem like it on the outside, he has not forgotten, has not stopped planning for the battles to come.

And when he sees His Demonic Highness's grin, he knows there is still work to be done.

* * *

[NOTES] Long time no post of...actually anything, huh?

Thanks to Chronic Guardian, Amulet Misty, Glitchpng, xxxDreamingflowerxxx, fallxnrobin, Cruxis' Kingdom Hearts Cherubim, Shiori07, Gyullian, and DelphiniumSweets for the favorites, follows, and reviews! Glad to see that T-Sauce pieces still hold some ground in the long run.

Anyways, I said that I wanted to make this a series and I did! Alciel's piece was a bit tricky, because he's a definite source of comedic relief in the series, but you have to remember that he _was_ the second-in-command of the Devil King's army. There's definitely a lot of depth to him, even if it's hidden under being a housewife most the time.

Well, on to Lucifer's piece...

[POST] 11.21.2016


	3. The Fallen

**The Fallen**

By: Aviantei

A _The Devil is a Part-Timer!_ One Shot

* * *

I.

* * *

As far as angels go, he's in pretty high standing among them. His name is well known throughout the heavens, and even other archangels have a hard time denying his influence. The layers surrounding him are ones of respect and awe. You'd be more hard pressed to find someone that doesn't know who he is.

It's funny how quickly your layers can change.

From the status of archangel to one of the fallen. The stigma attached to his name, to his existence is reversed. Gone is the respect, the love, the reverence. In its place comes disdain, comes resentment, comes pity. Regardless of whose fault it is, the color of his wings cement his new standing in place, make it impossible to turn otherwise.

Holy force no longer comes to him willingly, and forcing it makes him feel sick. Plenty of angels seek after him, trying to eliminate the fallen angel from existence. That's why the demon realms seem much more fitting.

At first, it's simply because the chances of being followed are much lower here than anywhere else. But as he lives there, works on tending to his wounds, he realizes it's better. No longer of Heaven, the fallen angel exists just as a demon. It's almost laughable how easy the transition is.

But it doesn't stop him. There are options open to him now, ones he couldn't obtain as an angel. He works on mastering his new power, on building it back up and beyond what he once was.

And when the future Demon King finds him, he realizes his new layers aren't exactly a bad thing anymore.

* * *

II.

* * *

In Ente Isla those layers become even more useful, given the religious nature of the country. The carnage he causes only adds more as he goes. By now, he's more than adjusted to the change in position, accepted it as his new role. His former layers in Heaven still only seem like a silly trifle in comparison.

Now leading part of the Demon King's army, he does his part with zeal. There's hardly any part of the Eastern continent he hasn't seen to destroying. Layer after layer builds up until—

 _The demon that destroyed the Hero's homeland._

It's almost ironic that the Demon General Lucifer is the first of them to fall.

* * *

III.

* * *

Earth doesn't change too much about him. Olba, albeit corrupt and foolish, recognizes him plenty for who he is, cements his existence and purpose. Even acting anonymously, the layers still come, just in smaller fragments. The series of muggings and break ins, all adding up into a fear that revitalizes his power.

They all recognize him when he reveals himself—the Demon King, the Hero, Alciel. None of them have forgotten, all silently supporting each others' layers, keeping them in place. Even in the middle of Sasakuza, Ente Isla clings to all of them.

It's the aftermath where things get tricky. In an instant he goes from enemy to roommate, stuck in the current dingy as hell Devil's Castle. This time, he's used to the transition, used to the sensation of layers falling off and shifting, becoming something different. And while it certainly has less prestige than archangel, than demon general, it doesn't change the fact that a slacker shut in is what he's become.

He's not the only one that's changed, though. Again, the Demon King, the Hero, Alciel—none of them are the same as they were before. Each of them has changed the layers on them. One day, they might become unrecognizable.

 _And yet—_

Lower ranked angels still obey his commands. One night his wings shine white again, and the forgotten layers may not be as lost as they have believed. Amidst shock, he shrugs it off, but doesn't let the thought fade.

After all, versatility is always a good skill to have.

* * *

[NOTES] This one was a bit easier to write, mainly because I'm rather attached to Lucifer's character. In the end, his piece ended up being the most open ended, and I think that mainly comes from his canon portrayal. He bounces all over the place, and it has a lot of good potential.

Writing section III actually made me consider writing a couple more pieces with Emi and Suzuno, but I think I'll save that for later. Maybe as a companion collection or something. For now, I'll be satisfied that this collection has come to close, and allows me to mark another story as "completed" on my list.

Thank you for reading,  
-Aviantei

[COMPLETE] 11.21.2016


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